Friday, December 20, 2013

New way to go Electric-assist trike sports solar panels, cover and a trunk

The ELF, which comes with two cloth shopping bags
to hang in a carrying compartment in the rear, weighs less than 150
pounds, carries a load of up to 350 pounds, travels up to 20 mph on
battery power, recharges in less than an hour by charger or seven hours
by sunlight, and has a battery range of 20 miles. Organic Transit’s logo
on the back of the oversized tricycle even makes it look like you’re
taking the T when you’re riding in it.

“You motor to work, you don’t get there all
shvitzy, and on the way home have your workout,” said Rosenberg. “That’s
the thought behind it. How brilliant.”

To get started, you climb in over the aluminum
frame, which supports a recycled-plastic shell, and climb into a slung
seat which puts the driver about level with automobile drivers. Since
there’s no reverse gear, backing up means using your feet on the ground a
la Fred Flintstone, then start pedaling and click on the battery to
boost as needed.

Goldman, who also ordered her green ELF on
Kickstarter, found Rosenberg and Talmage realizing that shipping the
velomobiles in protective crates was seriously driving up their costs.
She tracked down others that could be delivered to Pennsylvania and New
England on a truck with the vehicles tied on back, and as soon as hers
was delivered Wednesday, she loaded it down with bread for the Amherst
market.

“It’s fun,” said Goldman, who on Thursday used it
to get to the South Hadley farmers market, then to a concert in
Northampton, and finally back to Amherst, learning the need to maneuver
around potholes and bumps, for which her mountain bike is more
forgiving.

[Peter] Talmage, an engineer who’s had electric bikes to
ride to his teaching job at Greenfield Community College, said, “The
ELF offered the opportunity I could use in all sorts of weather. I’m
amazed at what they put together, and at the completeness of what they
offer.”

The trike comes with a 10 amp-hour, 48-volt
battery, that’s one-third the weight of a car battery with a little less
storage capacity, but should lasts 10 times longer, Talmage said. And
the vehicle’s 60-watt solar panel is lightweight and replaces a roof
panel “as a simple way to regenerate a lot of electricity while you’re
just parked in a parking lot somewhere.”

A 10- to 12-hour concrete pour completed Saturday was the last one
necessary until excavation wraps up early next year. That makes 10 mat
slab pours to date, each between 4,000 to 6,000 cubic yards of concrete.
Rail tracks will eventually sit on the slabs.

“This is achieving a big milestone for our project,” said project
superintendent Jordan Smith of Webcor/Obayashi, the general contractor,
at the site Wednesday. “Essentially half of the project has mat slab.
What that allows us to do is continue on schedule on the walls and
columns and rebar on one side.”
Construction has made good time, with the foundation for the western
half of the 600,000-cubic-yard hole in the ground already set with mat
slab.

The multilayer process started in early September and involved drilling
65-foot-long micropiles on the dirt base to anchor the coming structure,
four inches of concrete slab, a waterproofing layer, another 4 inches
of concrete slab, rebar reinforcement and finally 5 feet of mat slab
that Caltrain and high-speed rail will arrive on.

Dirt is still visible in the easternmost portion of San Francisco’s
biggest hole in the ground, with excavation slated to end in
mid-January. The final mat slab pours will occur in mid-February.

Monday, December 16, 2013

The Outsider is one mans epic journey. Can a born rebel, free thinker
and genius find his place in the world with a homemade speedster?

-
"We welcomed one more out sports person this week when Tom Daley
revealed he is dating a guy. But a few years ago cyclist Graeme Obree
came out of the closet, letting the world know he was gay in 2011,
having come out to his family on 2005.

He had a difficult life before that, marked by things such as the
tragic death of his brother and suicide attempts. He was also married to
a woman and had two sons. However, in sports he broke numerous cycling
records and was known for his innovations that took the sport forward,
having used bits of common machinery to re-engineer his bicycle. In 2006
a movie about his life, The Flying Scotsman starring Jonny Lee Miller,
was released – although that didn’t touch on his sexuality.

Now a feature-length documentary is being brought together, allowing
Obree to tell his own story in his own words, mainly covering two years
of his life where as a man in his mid-40s he seeks out a new cycling
project to challenge himself."

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Check out Charles Holsopple at the Global Shelter Project!He's doing great work to end homelessness and promote sustainability.Here's a little bit of his writing:"Let's promote local, regional, national and international awareness that we are all better off if all 7 billion and one of us have a dignified access to a gallon and a half of clean water 2000 nutritional calories and 200 ft.³ of secure living space.Data driven studies will provide the areas of most need as well as reflect the causes and potential solutions to this imbalance.Properly observed and engineered, methodologies can be identified and supported for whatever changes our social and environmental climate unveil to us. " - Charles HolsoppleVisit Global Shelter Project today: http://globalshelterproject.blogspot.com/

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Zackees LED turn-signal gloves are a geeky fusion of tech, fashion, and safety.

The Zackees turn-signal gloves might be the greatest gift to cyclists since the helmet.
A unique fusion of fashion and tech, the gloves have their own
arrow-shaped strings of LEDs, which cyclists can use to signal that
they’re turning. They’re the sort of thing that screams “geek,” but if
they keep the wearer safe, geekiness might not matter so much.
Zackees pitches the gloves slightly differently: You’ll need them for
safety but wear them because they’re fashionable. That “utility + tech +
fashion” combination is core to the Zackees, which were developed by a
former Google engineer, a fashion designer, and a robotics specialist.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Bikes on BART

More BART riders are biking to and from stations every day. It’s a
healthy alternative and like walking it’s easy on the environment.
Almost all BART stations have bike racks, over half of BART stations
have bike lockers and four stations now have Bike Stations. Details are
included below and on each station page on bart.gov.

If you are taking your bike on BART, it's your responsibility to know
and follow the bike rules. Bikes are never allowed on crowded
cars. Folded bikes are allowed in all cars at all times. Use your good
judgment and only board cars that can comfortably accommodate you and
your bicycle. Bicyclists must yield priority seating to seniors and
persons with disabilities.

If you are leaving your bike at a BART station make sure it is locked well. Whether you’re taking your bike on board or parking it at a station, make sure you record your bike’s serial number along with a description of the bike. This will greatly increase your chance of recovery if it is stolen.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Let’s face it: We’d all like to spend days on end exploring every last spot of sweet singletrack
this country has to offer. But we can’t. (I know, the truth hurts.) So,
after riding and researching some of the very best mountain bike
destinations in the U.S., I’ve narrowed it down to five must-see spots.
Start with this list the next time you’re searching for a prime place to
pedal.

Buy Bike Gear/Service or Donate Online

Please consider purchasing gift certificates, bike gear, repair or services online to keep the shop open and to keep The TransBay and all who visit Treasure Island, San Francisco, The Bay Area cycling and happy!

You can click the donate button above for a PayPal donation, or visit my GoFundMe page too.